1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved device for gaining access to ice chests, live wells and alternative storage containers in the process of storing fish during fishing outings. More particularly, the invention relates to a fish receiving hopper which is adapted for mounting on an ice chest or live well and which automatically opens to receive a fish responsive to the weight of the fish, and subsequently closes after the fish has moved through the opening in the hopper and into the ice chest or live well. The fish receiving hopper of this invention is simple in construction, easy to operate, and permits the use of comparatively small quantities of ice or cool water to maintain the stored catch in good condition prior to cleaning and refrigerating on a more permanent basis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, the generally accepted method of storing fish while fishing has been to use an ice chest, live well, or alternative container or vessel having a hinged lid with a handle attached thereto to permit the lid to be opened when a fish is to placed in the ice chest live well, or other container. Accordingly, in a typical situation where one or more fishermen must periodically gain access to the ice chest or live well to store his catch, the fisherman desiring to place his catch in the ice chest or live well must lift the lid and deposit the fish inside the container, or in the case of more than one fisherman, he may call upon the other fisherman to open the lid for insertion of the fish. In addition to the inconvenience caused by the requirement of periodically opening and closing the ice chest or live well lid, such opening allows outside air to circulate inside the ice chest or live well and permits the ice placed therein for cooling purposes to quickly melt, or allows the water which is included therein to rapidly warm to a point where it loses its refrigerating qualities. This problem is, of course, magnified under circumstances where the fishing is good and large numbers of fish are being caught and placed in the ice chest or live well for storage.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device for insertion of fish in an ice chest, live well or alternative storage container or vessel without the necessity of opening the lid of the vessel to effectuate the insertion.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fish receiving hopper which may be sized and designed to removably fit or be hingedly attached to substantially any ice chest, live well or other storage vessel in functional position on top of, and extending into the ice chest, live well or vessel, and which permits fish being tossed into the hopper to move past a hinged door in the hopper and into the interior of the vessel.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fish receiving hopper characterized by a chute and a hinged door, which in combination are capable of receiving a fish, allowing the fish to pass down the chute and past the displaced hinged door and into the interior of an ice chest or live well with minimum loss of refrigerated air or water and without the necessity of providing and periodically opening a conventional ice chest or live well lid to insert the fish.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a fish receiving hopper which can be manufactured of sufficient size to fit substantially any conventional ice chest, boat, live well, or alternative fish storage container or vessel, and which can be hinged to the ice chest, live well or alternative vessel, or simply removably placed or fitted on top of the ice chest, live well or alternative vessel, as desired.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fish receiving hopper which is adapted for use in conventional ice chests and/or live wells, and which is capable of receiving fish for storage, and ice or cool water for refrigerating the stored fish through the hopper opening without the provision of a conventional ice chest lid.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fish receiving hopper which may be formed of substantially any convenient size and removably fitted to or hingedly mounted on conventional ice chests, live well boxes or alternative fish storage containers or vessels, and which permits both insertion of fish, ice, and/or cool water in a hopper opening defined by a chute and cooperating hinged door, and access to the interior of the vessel in conventional manner by either lifting the hopper off of the container or vessel, or, in the case of a hinged mounting, by raising the hopper on its hinges in conventional fashion.